Maiden, Mother, Matriarch
by Lilith the Queen
Summary: In which Lex's grandmother comes to visit and strange things start happening that CANNOT be explained away by "glowy rocks"...
1. Grandma Dearest

Title: Maiden, Mother, Matriarch

Author: Nova Adams   
Series: Matriarch 1/?   
Archive: The Smallville Slash Archive, Fanfiction.Net. Anyone else wanting to archive this please E-mail me.   
Rating: PG-13 for now. 

Pairing: Clark/Lex, Jonathon/?, Lana/?, possibly others   
Category: Drama, Angst   
Spoilers for: Absolutely nothing, believe me.   
Disclaimer: I only own Lilith Luthor and any of her subsequent avatars. I don't own anyone or anything else except for the nifty things I got for (C)Han(n)uk(k)a(h). 

Feedback: Me gusta feedback. Even flames, if that's your thing. My E-mail is nova_adams42@yahoo.com 

Author's note: The matriarch is a recurring theme in many of my stories. I guess I'm just fascinated by the idea of the female _eminence gris_, pulling the strings from behind the shadows. You could probably spin out a whole psychological theory about that… 

As they pulled into the long winding driveway of semi-stately Luthor Mansion (or whatever it's called), Lex stopped suddenly. 

"On second thought," he said, "let's go somewhere else. Anywhere else." 

Clark scanned the area, and saw nothing amiss except for a metallic green convertible parked in the driveway. "Why? What's wrong?" 

Lex threw the clutch into reverse and started backing out. "Nothing's wrong. It's just that I don't feel like…" 

The door of the convertible opened, and a woman stepped out. 

She was very tall, even wearing flats. Her hair (dyed black; going red at the roots) was pulled back into a tight bun, and dark glasses covered her eyes, even though it was cloudy out. She was wearing a tailored linen black suit, with a diamond scorpion pin on the lapel. 

Lex stopped the car and covered his face with his hands. "Damn it," he muttered. 

The woman smiled. "Lex," she called, "aren't you going to say hello to your grandma?" 

As the woman approached the car, Lex sunk down in his seat, trying to look as small as he could. 

"I told you I was coming over," she reminded him. "I left a message on your voicemail." 

Lex looked guilty. "I…um…didn't check it. Sorry." 

The woman frowned. "Lex, you've got to be more responsible," she admonished him. "I know you must get this lecture from your father all the time, but I've been sitting here for an hour." Then she noticed Clark. "Is this a cousin I don't know about or something?" 

Clark leaned over. "Clark Kent," he said, offering his hand. "I'm a friend of Lex's." 

She nodded at him curtly. "Nice to meet you. I'm Lilith Luthor. Now, Lex…" 

Clark wondered vaguely if it was some kind of universal rule that women always had at least a metric ton of luggage, and men always had to carry it. 

Lilith stood by the stairway, her arms crossed, watching as Lex and Clark lugged her things upstairs to one of the myriad guest rooms. The servants (such a nineteenth-century term) were out, conveniently. 

Clark took all the huge suitcases. Lex carried Lilith's makeup bag and whined about it. 

Finally, when EVERYTHING was brought up from the car, Clark made some lame excuse about homework and left. 

Lilith sat Lex down in one of the shiny leather chairs and perched on the sofa across from him, leaning forward. "I suppose you're wondering what the purpose of this visit is." 

Lex shrugged. "I'm not used to having various relatives show up on my doorstep. What's going on?" 

Lilith put her hand on his. "I didn't want to tell you with your friend here…" She hesitated. "Your father has had a very severe heart attack. He's still alive, but he's not very well." 

Lex sank back into his chair. "So the old bastard's finally wearing out," he murmured. 

Lilith raised an eyebrow. "Really, Lex. I know you don't like him very much, but you could at least pretend to be mildly concerned, just for my sake." 

Lex rolled his eyes. "Fine. It's absolutely awful that he's had a heart attack. Did you have to come all the way out here to tell me that, or is there something else?" 

"I thought that I could stay with you for a few days, and, I don't know, comfort you or something. I thought that you would be worried and that you might like to have family around." Lilith rose. "I should have known better." 

Lex didn't catch Lilith's eye. "You are making me sound like some kind of heartless bastard." 

Lilith barely smiled. "In any case, he is my son and I for one am concerned about him. And I am worried and would like to have family around. Do you have any teabags?" 

"Probably in the cupboard."


	2. Son Of A Witch

Lilith scanned the obituaries column. "It looks as though your father has made it through another day, Lex."  
  
"Don't remind me," Lex muttered.  
  
Lilith peered at the paper. "Oh, dear. Cassie Carver. I went to school with her."  
  
Lex looked at his grandmother over the top of his orange juice glass. "Hm."  
  
Lilith sipped her tea. "It doesn't say how she died."  
  
Lex finished his juice. "Really."  
  
"She was always a bit odd," Lilith reflected.  
  
"I don't doubt it," Lex said.  
  
"She read Revelations a lot." Lilith drained her tea. "Wilting sunflowers, rains of blood." She rose. "That kind of thing."  
  
"Right. I'm going somewhere now."  
  
"What, you don't want to spend any time with your old grandmother?" Lilith carried her cup to the sink and deposited it.  
  
"If I had to, I'd rather not hear you reminisce about your old school friends," Lex muttered.  
  
"Did I say she was a friend? My mistake. She always thought I was a witch."  
  
"Odd. Dad always said the same thing."  
  
"And I bet you thought he was speaking euphemistically."  
  
"Actually, he didn't call you a witch."  
  
"What did he call me?"  
  
"Take a wild guess."  
  
"I just love it when my offspring insult their ancestry."  
  
"Speaking of which…"  
  
"Of what?"  
  
"Ancestry."  
  
Lilith laughed. "Don't say you want me to tell you stories about your predecessors."  
  
Lex shrugged. "I really don't have anything else to do today."  
  
"I thought you had somewhere to go," Lilith protested. "Don't let me keep you."  
  
"I just have to meet Victoria at the airport," Lex said.  
  
Lilith made a face. "Little Vicky Hardwick?"  
  
"She's no longer little," Lex corrected.  
  
"I'm sure," Lilith muttered.  
  
Lex sat down. "So. What was my father like when he was young?"  
  
"A brat," Lilith said. "Absolutely insufferable. He threw tantrums." She dug in her pocket and brought out a slim packet of cigarettes, drew one out. "Want one?"  
  
Lex wrinkled his nose in disgust. "You really shouldn't be smoking at your age."  
  
Lilith shrugged. "I know. Filthy habit, isn't it? And what do you mean, at my age? I'm not a day over eighty." She made a quick motion with her hand, producing a small blue flame that spurted from her index fingernail. She then lit the cigarette and blew the flame out.  
  
Lex stared. "How did you do that?"  
  
Lilith took a draw of her cigarette. "It's a secret. I can teach you how later."  
  
Lex shook his head as if to clear cobwebs out of his ears. "Never mind." He crossed his legs. "So what about my grandfather? What was he like?"  
  
Lilith leaned back. "First, why don't I make us some tea…" 


End file.
